Had a fun foursome out at Encino this past week and got absolutely hammered by the heat being far too dumb to actually try and walk it. Not smart! I ended up having to jump into my friend's cart aroun... Continue »

Had a fun foursome out at Encino this past week and got absolutely hammered by the heat being far too dumb to actually try and walk it. Not smart! I ended up having to jump into my friend's cart around the 14th hole as I was getting dizzy in spells.

Price is always right at the Encino/Balboa complex and this day was no different, but we also had (for the first time I can ever remember) cart service riding around with drinks and snacks - color me shocked! POP was very good for the day apart from the always crowded par 3 15th hole that always jams up.

Course conditions were mostly average to good with the highlights being the greens. They are in good shape, run smooth and medium-fast - no complaints at all. The fairways are a little burned out to be honest, but not terrible. Rough is very manageable and wont' get you into too much trouble. Bunkers were a little on the thin side but playable, while the tee boxes (we played the blue tees) were serviceable - far from pristine but flat and decently covered.

This course won't win any beauty pageants anytime soon but it gets the job done every time.

From 5/14


Back at Old Encino!


Got out onto Encino Golf Course for a fun afternoon round.


I note the course was in reasonable to good condition for a high traffic muni. Pace of play w... Continue »

From 5/14


Back at Old Encino!


Got out onto Encino Golf Course for a fun afternoon round.


I note the course was in reasonable to good condition for a high traffic muni. Pace of play was around 4.0 hours. I note the following conditions:


Tee Boxes: Not too good but not brutal. Could use more leveling in some tees.


Fairways: Green and defined from rough. Condition average for a Muni.


Greens: Green, slow in speed, with softness. Speed about a 9. Condition average for a Muni.


Sand: Bunkers were OK in some areas, and other in other areas were not maintained and hard packed. Condition average for a Muni.


Rough: maintained and defined, about 3 – 5 inches. Condition average for a Muni.


Again enjoyed this course. The design is flat but strong if playing from the tips. This course is a go-to that I always seem to enjoy.

Went out Friday 11/8 @1:25 as a single joining another single and twosome. Played the whites. Teeing grounds are not problem here. The fairways, even when the coverage is good, tend to be a riot of va... Continue »

Went out Friday 11/8 @1:25 as a single joining another single and twosome. Played the whites. Teeing grounds are not problem here. The fairways, even when the coverage is good, tend to be a riot of various grass colors, patterns and species that can still offer a good hitting surface. Currently it tends towards tight grass areas mixed in with stretches resembling dried river bottom with little matting and the odd dirt stretch. A poster child for muni golf. Despite that, and the fact that I may have moved my ball in the fairway at least once to get some grass under it, most of the time I didn't find it an issue and the lies were playable. But then, I have a shallow swing with little divot. So now you are forewarned, although there is the bonus of some extra rollout if you play here. I have long passed from "easy" to flat out "golf slut", so I was OK with it and enjoyed the round as far as we got. Rough was short and not a factor, and I missed the bunkers so no comment there. Greens were actually in pretty good shape and reasonably quick. The real drawback for me was that the pace was slow — we were on a five hour pace with under 4.5 hrs of light. We managed to get through the 14th before knocking off. I don't get over here often so I can't say I'll be back soon, but would still play it again without much hesitation but also without any illusions. So not necessarily a recommendation, but a nod to golfers like me who are willing to happily play a little dirty. Epilogue: The others were in carts and departed as I started hoofing back from the 14th in the gloom. Checked my bag and confirmed i had working glow balls, so angled over to the 18th to play my way in what was now complete dark. Making out enough silhouette to know where the middle of the fairway was, a decent driver and two 5-woods left me somewhere in the right rough about 100 yds out, under an overhanging tree. The distance was a pure guess, the green location was suggested by some glare from lights near the clubhouse and the pin was invisible. Fourth shot was a punched five iron that rolled nicely and settled in what seemed like the front of the green, with the hope of being on. The glowing ball was easy to see but I had to get to within about ten feet to even see the red pin — and my ball a foot from the cup. Knocked it in for one of the more unexpected pars I've ever scored. A little thrill/satisfaction as compensation for the holes I didn't get to play.

Played today, Sat 8/3, knowing what to expect from a course that was underwater a good bit of the winter.
As expected, fairways were not great: Mixture of some grass, many bare spots, weeds and rare... Continue »

Played today, Sat 8/3, knowing what to expect from a course that was underwater a good bit of the winter.
As expected, fairways were not great: Mixture of some grass, many bare spots, weeds and rarely a good lie.
Rough could be thick or non-existent.
Greens were nice, in good shape and soft.
Bunkers were ok, but some have grass growing in them. I saw piles of sand so maybe they are getting ready to work on them.
Range balls were good, the staff I interacted were nice. There was a Marshal and a beverage cart.
It is still a fun track to play with friends.

From 7/29


Really enjoyed Encino! Did not see Encino Man.


Got out Monday morning onto Encino Golf Course and glad I did so. Will not go into course design details as such are noted in prio... Continue »

From 7/29


Really enjoyed Encino! Did not see Encino Man.


Got out Monday morning onto Encino Golf Course and glad I did so. Will not go into course design details as such are noted in prior reviews.


I note the course was not in top tier condition as such has been battling the Summer Heatwave, but was still in reasonably good playing condition given the climate. Pace of play was around 4.0 hours. I note the following conditions:


Tee Boxes: Level and mixed with green. Limited bare spots noted. Condition average for a Muni.


Fairways: Green and defined from rough. Condition average for a Muni.


Greens: Green, slow in speed, with softness. Speed about a 10. Condition average for a Muni.


Sand: Bunkers were OK in some areas, and other in other areas were not maintained as grass was growing. Condition below average for a Muni.


Rough: maintained and defined, about 3 – 5 inches. Condition average for a Muni.


Really enjoyed this course as the design is flat but strong if playing from the tips. This course is a go-to that I always seem to enjoy. Despite the heat, the course was still doing fairly good. If looking for an enjoyable round of golf in the SF Valley, this is great place to play. And try to the Club Sandwich after your round, it is so good.

Having an appointment in the Valley, decided I would try to play one of the Sepulveda Dam courses. Was actually hoping to get out on Balboa but ended up on Encino. Used to play here quite often when I... Continue »

Having an appointment in the Valley, decided I would try to play one of the Sepulveda Dam courses. Was actually hoping to get out on Balboa but ended up on Encino. Used to play here quite often when I lived in Westchester, but South OC to Encino is a long haul in traffic. Since it's been a while, I should have adjusted which tees I played, because many of the holes have become unreachable in regulation for me now. While the holes themselves are not all that demanding, just the length of some of the holes made scoring a rather daunting endeavor.

Course was in pretty nice condition overall. Greens better than expected - rolled well and had decent pace. Fairway coverage decent for the most part. I could always find a spot to tee it up without issue. Only in one bunker and it was fine. If/when I make the trip to the Valley, I hope to get on Balboa, but if I end up on Encino, I will PLAY IT FORWARD.

I don't have much to add to roarksown1's review/rating for last Friday, June 7. This facility has two courses and sees a lot of play. There's a huge parking lot, parkland adjacent, large practice area... Continue »

I don't have much to add to roarksown1's review/rating for last Friday, June 7. This facility has two courses and sees a lot of play. There's a huge parking lot, parkland adjacent, large practice area, and an old-school vibe that screams MUNI GOLF! Feels like going back in time. The proshop and cafe looks like your typical 60's high school single-story brick building. The restroom indicates "Men's/Women's locker room" but is nothing more than a restroom with no hot water or towels. Like the Woodley Lakes course nearby the two courses here are more or less flat. Lots of huge trees line every fairway and offer great shade during the heat of summer. If you like shade, just stay out of the fairways!

Good times to be had here and the price is right.

Played Encino this past week with kviser for our GK Cup match and am happy to report that this heavy-usage track is actually in quite good shape right now and well worth your time for the value. We pl... Continue »

Played Encino this past week with kviser for our GK Cup match and am happy to report that this heavy-usage track is actually in quite good shape right now and well worth your time for the value. We played from the blue tees and I walked with a ridiculously affordable $32 rate. That just can't be beat anywhere, can it?

No one is going to mistake Encino for Bel-Air anytime soon, but it's at or near the top of its user-friendly game right now with well-covered fairways that mostly left good shots available (yes, of course you're going to find some thin patches out there), decent rough that wasn't difficult to play from, average bunkers that were playable and tee boxes that were far from pristine but level and in good working order.

The greens were in very fine shape indeed, however they rolled a bit slower than they appeared, however we all adapted fairly quickly as the day rolled on. They are consistent, hold shots very well and rolled pretty darn true. I can't even complain about too many pitch marks as it seems that most patrons had done a good job fixing them. Long may it last!

POP was pretty good as well with no major delays until the par 3 15th. It's a very long and tough hole so it usually always backs up there with so many bogeys or worse on the table. Didn't see any cart service either to my recollection, but we refueled at the turn a bit.

I would definitely recommend Encino right now for a great value and a solid if unspectacular golf course that will give you your fill as required.

Played 01/17/24. Staff was great. Fairways are terribly inconsistent. Some areas are thick, some are hard-pan, some areas are dirt and there is often no real delineation between rough and fairway. Gre... Continue »

Played 01/17/24. Staff was great. Fairways are terribly inconsistent. Some areas are thick, some are hard-pan, some areas are dirt and there is often no real delineation between rough and fairway. Greens were OK and so slow it was tough to make yourself putt it hard enough. Trees are in excellent shape and excel at knocking balls down. Pace of play was a zippy 3:45 and that was a pleasant surprise.